FOR parents and their children, weekends would typically wind down with them around the table for Sunday dinners together. Recently, selected families assembled for a different kind of communal nourishment at the Altamont Court Hotel in New Kingston, thanks to the JPS Foundation.

The philanthropic arm of the Jamaica Public Service Company Limited invited its cohort of current scholarship beneficiaries — from high schools and tertiary institutions across the country — for a mentorship programme workshop that featured sessions aimed at personal development, career strategising, mental check-ins, robotics tutorials, and much more.

Targeting the holistic development of young minds into well-rounded forward thinkers, the foundation’s mentorship programme segued from the July-hosted scholarship awards ceremony — during which $11 million was invested for tuition payments to further both the academic and life journeys of 42 high school and tertiary students — to include new and continuing beneficiaries.

Travelling in from Westmoreland for the foundation’s multiple sittings event, sales clerk Nickecchia Waisome accompanied her son 11-yearold Zamani Arnold, who commenced his first year at Black River High School last month.

Waisome found much to savour at the mentorship workshop. Each table in the hotel’s conference room was assigned JPS executives who engaged in life lesson discourses with the teenagers and young adults in attendance.

“It was such an informative day for me,” shared the beaming mother.

Her son had secured a $60,000 one-time grant from an application submitted by school officials at Zamani’s former school, New Works Primary, to the foundation back in July. “The workshop was good because I enjoyed listening to all of what was shared, especially the science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) session for parents on online cybersecurity. I learnt a lot about setting up security features for what Zamani can access on his phone and tablet,” Waisome said of the parents-only session led by STEM Builders Chief Executive Officer Kavelle Hylton, titled ‘Navigating the Digital Journey’.

Like Waisome, Danielle Davis heaped praise on the significant insights she gleaned as a workshop participant.

“In the adults’ session I was able to better grasp why a worklife balance for parents is important; learning when to pause, and when to go. It was also good to listen to other parents and know I’m not crazy,” shared the good-humoured mother of JPS scholarship awardee Adrianna Willie, a second-form student at Campion College.

“I was so proud of Adrianna when she earned the scholarship a year ago. Knowing the JPS Foundation has made an investment in her feels absolutely amazing, and I believe events like this workshop provide guidance and mentorship, which is important for the kids,” added Davis, the sales and marketing manager at Advanced Scales and Equipment Limited.

Now in its third annual iteration, the mentorship programme workshop presented a buffet of illuminating exercises. Ample nuggets to digest on how to mould improved versions of self were up for the taking. Nine curated interactive sessions were on the agenda.

JPS Operations Manager Marsha Gay Wallace led the session titled ‘Ready, Set, Career’ for college students. A self-empowerment tutorial on how to ‘Own The Room: Speak with Confidence’ was guided by Ruthlyn Johnson, JPS customer service area manager – east, to high schoolers while Community Renewal Relations Officer Kerrica McGregor delivered a pep talk on ‘Empowered to Excel’.

Additional sessions included Director of Engineering Services Dr Oswald Smiley illuminating participants on the evolution of the framework of electricity generation and distribution in his ‘Fuelling Jamaica’s Future’ presentation; Security Specialist Floyd Minott’s anecdotal- focused presentation centred on ‘Turning Obstacles into Opportunities’; and Communications Officer Darian Reid joining Rosemarie Stewart to give pearls of wisdom to ‘Level Up Your Next Chapter’ .

Presenter Minott, who has worked with the energy company for more than two decades, summarised his session as a practical guide on how to sharpen resilience as a character trait.

“The essence of the presentation was looking at life in chapters. There are times when life will deal us instances where we need to manoeuvre around the challenges we will face,” the JPS veteran detailed.

“Globally, many young people are falling by the way because they lack social skills. This causes them to be unable to deal with what life throws at them,” he noted, adding that deep perspective and analysis can foster attitudinal change.

“If they are able to look at their challenges and break them down into bite-size pieces it is indeed possible to learn how to turn an obstacle into an opportunity. This means resetting your mindset,” he said.

Speaking during her ‘Smart Goals: Finding Your Strengths and Weaknesses’ session with the new crop of scholarship beneficiaries, JPS Legal Counsel Devine White said with the group exercise, students assessed themselves from scoresheets on questions related to adaptability and teamwork.

“Based on queries, they rated themselves weakest to strongest in each section. Then, they were able to divide into beginner, intermediary or strong. From that they determined what their strong suit is, or a weak area they needed to work on,” White added.

Although she spearheaded the session, the attorney-at-law said JPS team members served as mentees at each table for the students, “speaking to them and working through the questions they had on how to best respond”.

Being an active Volunteer On Location To Serve (VOLTS) member of the JPS Foundation, White reflected on the merits of being associated with the mentorship programme.

“I really enjoy the programme as a core value for myself and as an employee. We touch so many lives with electricity [so] it is important for us to touch lives on the community level [as well] — and that’s one of the tenets of the foundation.”

For Ajani Weston, who is reading for a bachelor’s degree in electrical and computer engineering at the University of Technology, Jamaica, it was his second time attending a mentorship programme.

“It’s an amazing experience. Since I am studying electrical engineering and being with the JPS family, it brought out a new side which I didn’t know was there in terms of guiding students and imparting life lessons from their own experiences, which you can apply to your own life,” Weston shared of the valuable knowledge he’s acquired.

“It’s been very helpful, especially being a maturing young man,” he added. “The programme not only addresses academic issues, it also addresses personal issues such as stress management, which has been extra helpful as a student.”

For Sophia Lewis, head of the JPS Foundation, the evolution and impact of the mentorship programme on participants remains a joy to witness.

“It has progressed very well when we do these face-to-face engagements,” she assessed of the day’s near-capacity turnout.

“From our experience, we have realised that both our parents and students have expressed that they look at JPS differently,” Lewis said. “They now have a better understanding of who we are as an energy company and are appreciative of the care we take to engage them, not just in giving them the award but the follow-up that we do.”

STEM Builders Chief Executive Officer Kavelle Hylton (left) discusses how to establish security settings for tablets and phone devices with Danielle Davis, sales and marketing manager at Advanced Scales and Equipment Limited, during a session with parents of JPS Foundation Scholarship awardees.